Fires Ravage California

NASA (Joshua Stevens) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsSome have called the charred remains of a city called Paradise, California, a war zone. Others have likened the fire-enraged area to an apocalypse. Forty-eight people have died from what is being called the deadliest wildfire in California’s history, and approximately 130,000 acres of land have been burned and more than 10,000 structures destroyed. It’s been a devastating few days for those affected by the Camp Fire (named after Camp Creek Road, the road where it began and not the cause of the fire). Firefighters are still trying to contain the fire, and smoke continues to fill the air throughout the affected area and beyond.

Smoke hovering over San Francisco

In southern California, firefighters are working to contain the Woolsey and Hill Fires that swept through the northeastern Los Angeles area, where a number of homes were destroyed. It’s been a scary and difficult time for the tens of thousands of people who have had to evacuate from the affected areas, but if there is a silver lining to all of this tragedy, it’s that people are coming together to help. Disaster response organizations such as the American Red Cross have set up shelters for those in need. Companies are also lending a hand. Airbnb is connecting people who need a place to stay with free temporary housing. Ride hailing company Lyft is offering free transportation to those affected by the fire. Safeway, a chain of grocery stores, is donating supplies to shelters and first responders. And many, many other companies are donating funds to disaster relief organizations, hosting fundraising events, matching employee donations, or encouraging their customers to donate as well.

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